These are a batch of ten negatives apparently taken around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. They include three images of a bullock team (two with a child in the picture), two images of the Ranges Hotel (one distant), two images of farm workers, one image of the main street, one image of the railway line and one of children playing backyard cricket. The negatives were developed by Baker & Rouse, agents for Kodak, who began their operations in Melbourne in 1905. At some unknown time, the negatives were donated to the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum. At this point, they may have then been placed in individual packets - because the original Baker and Rouse folder was in poor condition - and labels were written. In 2023 or 2024, the Yarra Ranges Museum donated them to the Emerald Museum.

These negatives provide a glimpse into early 20th century everyday and farming life of Gembrook.

Ten negatives showing people and places in Gembrook circa early 20th century. These negatives are contained in individual packets which are not original. The original film developer's folder is separate. Each negative has been classified separately in Victorian Collections.

On folder: 'KODAK / BAKER & ROUSE / PROP. LTD. ... / MELBOURNE: / 284 COLLINS STREET. ...' On back of folder handwritten: ' old Marituna / Gembro [partly erased] atherlie'

gembrook, ranges hotel, gembrook general store, baker & rouse, early 20th century

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This one is of a child (titled 'Miss Heath') standing in front of a bullock team pulling a cart loaded with sacks of possibly potatoes. Two other negatives feature this same girl: one standing with the same bullock team and the other playing backyard cricket. An additional negative features the same bullock team with no people.

These negatives provide a glimpse of early 20th century cartage in Gembrook.

Black and white negative showing girl standing in front of bullock team which is carting a load of sacks of possibly potatoes or grain. A man is standing next to the bullock team. An open gate is visible in the foreground. The negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on packet containing negative: 'Miss Heath with Bullock train / Gembrook'

gembrook, bullock team, miss heath, potatoes, early 20th century

This is one of a batch of ten negatives apparently taken close to the same time in Gembrook in the early 20th century. This negative shows a young girl, entitled 'Miss Heath' standing in the foreground near a bullock team pulling a cart loaded with sacks of possibly potatoes or grain. A man is kneeling on top of the sacks doing some adjustments. There are two other negatives in this batch of the same bullock team with one of them featuring the same girl. There is also another negative showing the same girl playing backyard cricket.

This negative provides a glimpse of the early 20th century cartage in Gembrook.

Negative showing a girl standing in the foreground near a bullock team which is pulling a cart loaded with sacks of possibly potatoes or grain. A man is kneeling on top of the sacks doing some adjustments. The negative has been kept in a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on packet: 'Miss Heath with Bullock Train / Gembrook'

gembrook, bullock team, miss heath, potatoes, early 20th century

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This one is of three men of whom two are clearly workers, possibly timber workers, and the third may be their boss. Timber was an important early industry in Gembrook.

These negatives provide a glimpse of the early 20th century timber industry in Gembrook.

Black and white negative - portrait view - showing three men posing for the photo. The man in the middle wears a suit and is smoking a pipe and holding an axe. The men on either side of him appear to be workers with one holding a hand tool over his shoulder which may be an axe, and the other is smoking a pipe. Negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing the negative: '3 men with axe - Gembrook'

gembrook, timber industry

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This negative of the main road features two historic buildings, the Ranges Hotel and the General Store as well as a few houses and the railway station. The General Store was built in front of the railway station.

This negative shows former iconic and historical buildings in Gembrook.

Black and white negative - landscape view - showing the main road in Gembrook heading west. The last building on the left is the Ranges Hotel and the second last building on the right is the double-gabled General Store which fronts the railway station. This negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing negative: 'Gembrook township'

gembrook, ranges hotel, ferntree gully to gembrook railway, general store, main road, early 20th century

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This negative is of four children playing backyard cricket at Gembrook. The young girl who is the bowler in the game also features in two other negatives in this batch where she is standing near a bullock team.

This negative provides a captivating glimpse into children's games in early 20th century Gembrook.

Black and white negative - landscape view - showing two boys and two girls playing backyard cricket. One boy is crouched on the 'stumps' which are an upturned pipe. One girl is the bowler, and the other girl is the batter. This negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing negative: 'Playing Cricket Gembrook'

gembrook, backyard cricket, early 20th century

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This one is of the Ferntree Gully to Gembrook railway line, which was completed in December 1900. The view looks northwards to the hills from probably present-day Station Road.

This stark image of bare landscape with dead trees recalls both the early timber industry in Gembrook and the practice of wide-spread clearing of land for farming use.

Black and white negative - landscape view - of the railway line at Gembrook. The railway is in the foreground. The landscape is bare apart from dead and ringbarked trees. Negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing negative: 'Railway line & dead trees /Gembrook'

gembrook, timber industry, railway, 1900, early 20th century, station rd

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This negative is of a muddy unmade road (now Station Rd) running alongside the Railway Station leading towards the Ranges Hotel, with the double-gabled General Store to the right. The hotel was built in 1902, two years after the Ferntree Gully to Gembrook railway was completed. It was an important social institution and tourist destination in Gembrook for over one hundred years until its destruction by fire in 2018.

This negative shows two former iconic and historical buildings in Gembrook c. early 20th century.

Black and white negative - landscape view - showing a road running alongside the railway station towards the Ranges Hotel, Gembrook c. early 20th century with the General Store visible on the right and railway gates in front of the hotel. This negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing negative: 'Gembrook house & road'

gembrook, ranges hotel, ferntree gully to gembrook railway, 1902, early 20th century, station rd, general store

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This negative is of a side and back view of the Ranges Hotel showing three formally dressed men and one woman standing on the balcony. The Ranges Hotel was built in 1902 following the completion of the Ferntree Gully to Gembrook railway line in 1900. It was an important social institution and tourist destination in Gembrook for over 100 years before its destruction by fire in 2018.

This negative features an iconic and historical building in Gembrook which has since been burnt down.

Black and white negative - landscape view - showing a side and back view of the Ranges Hotel, Gembrook. This negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on (not original) packet containing negative: 'House Gembrook'

gembrook, ranges hotel, ferntree gully to gembrook railway, early 20th century

This negative is one of a batch of ten images taken apparently around the same time at Gembrook c. early 20th century. This negative features a worker wielding a scythe in a field of grain.

This negative gives a glimpse into early farming practices in Gembrook.

Black and white negative - landscape view - showing a man in a field of grain scything the crop. This negative has been kept inside a packet which is not original.

Handwritten on packet containing negative: 'Scything'

gembrook, scything, early 20th century